Agreeing with Love leaves no room for fearing that which does not exist

Reading

“I am standing in absolute stillness, silent before the One I love,waiting as long as it takes for him to rescue me.Only God is my Savior, and he will not fail me.For he alone is my Safe Place.His wrap-around presence always protects meas my Champion Defender.There’s no risk of failure with God!So why would I let worry paralyze meeven when troubles multiply around me?God’s glory is all around me!His wrap-around presence is all I need,for the Lord is my Savior, my Hero, and my life-giving strength.Join me, everyone! Trust only in God every moment!Tell him all your troubles and pour out your heart-longings to him.Believe me when I tell you—he will help you!"

Pause in His presence

Psalm 62v5-8, Passion Translation

Story

The unknown does not exist as much as we may think it does.

This past weekend, my beautiful wife Hillary and I got to visit Lost Lake near Hood River, Oregon. She'd packed our lunches, I'd loaded our car, and we'd headed east... and only a few hours latter, we'd made it.

It was stunningly beautiful.

Once we found a secluded spot among the towering trees along the lake edge to set our camp chairs, we got right to blowing up her new birthday present – a paddle board. After Hillary had been out on the water for a while, she paddled back to the shore wanting me to try it out. I secretly couldn't wait for her to ask!

After a few minutes of gently paddling, I found myself about a hundred yards off the shore in the middle of this gorgeous lake heavily surrounded by tall trees gently swaying in the cool breeze. Mt. Hood stood off in the distance half covered in snow as it reflected the sun's glory. It was one of those moments.

And so I stopped... setting the paddle aside, I quieted myself as I sat down, crossed my legs, and straightened up. I closed my eyes and began to find rhythm in my breathing as I sought to enjoy the moment with God and creation. I wanted to grow in my awareness of Him in that moment and knew to do so would mean reminding myself of Love. Reminding myself that Bliss knew my name and wanted to be with me in that moment. So I sat "in absolute stillness, silent before the One I love..."

As time passed, I became increasingly conscious to the water that was now rather choppy all around me – the quite breeze had turned into a mild wind. The paddle board was no longer peacefully floating, but was being jostled around by the small white capped waves. And for a moment, I shifted attention onto the possibilities of what could be. I began thinking about how if I wasn't careful, I may fall off the board. And then I got that small hot feeling in the back of my throat (not sure how else to say it) as I the possibilities of what could happen started to grow in my mind. "What if there's a shark in this lake?"

Now I understand the absurdity of that thought, but my mind went there – even if just for a moment. Yet immediately, I felt His whisper say...

"Nathaniel, do you recognize what's happening?"

I do.

"You've let yourself begin living in the unknown."

Yes, I see that now.

"But the unknown does not exist."

And His words for me, in that moment, resonated with something deep inside me. It had nothing to do with the paddle board or the water, it was far more universal and inclusive of all parts of life. How often do I allow the negative possibilities of what could be lead me away from the realities of what actually is, Love?

And so as David wonderfully put it in Psalm 62, why would I worry about unseen troubles that could be when the One who Loves me is in me, and I in Him?

Agreeing with Love leaves no room for fearing that which does not exist.

Prayer

Speak Psalm 62 (above) out-loud as a prayer, to the One who loves you. Then ask Him to rescue you (even if it's the hundredth time...) from the sitatuiation you find no hope in that's a part of your life right now.

Go from this moment into the rest of your day with the picture of His "wrap-around presence" being your known and protection today.

There is no fear in Love unless we choose not to agree with Love, this is the foundation for worry. For you, agreeing with Love today may mean constantly returning to a place of giving God your attention instead of the the unknown.

He loves us. May that be the consuming, unending, colorful thought that frames our thinking and living today.